Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation providers urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives just after NSFAS received experiences about some accommodation companies who require NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get entry to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation companies of your obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement between the personal accommodation suppliers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease will likely be paid out monthly for the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other sorts of payment into the lessor, or another person in reference to this arrangement, which include payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse from the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for read more private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the student won't be chargeable for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation service provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that wherever the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, here the student is going to be more info liable for payment of lease into the lessor from your day of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by nsfas university allowances the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding click here the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za